Events

John F. Larchet Remembered

June concert celebrates the life of Irish composer John F. Larchet, fifty years after his death.

A concert at Dublin’s Hugh Lane Gallery on 11th June will remember Irish composer John F. Larchet, fifty years after his death.

The concert is presented by Dublin City Gallery in association with Irish Songmakers as part of the popular Hugh Lane Gallery’s ‘Sundays @ Noon’ series. Irish singers Raphaela Mangan (mezzo-soprano) and Gavan Ring (baritone), accompanied by Niall Kinsella (piano) will perform the first ever recital of his complete songs for voice and piano. They will be joined by Lynda O’Connor (violin), who will perform some of Larchet’s music for violin and piano.

The free-admission concert takes place at 12 noon, Sunday 11th June 2017, at The Hugh Lane, Parnell Square, Dublin 1.

“John F. Larchet influenced a generation of Irish composers through his teaching and is largely responsible for the course 20th-Century Irish Music has taken. It’s such a privilege to be able to bring together such talented performers in the sublime setting of the Hugh Lane Gallery to celebrate his memory through the first performance of all of his songs.”

An English Songbook

Soprano Cara O’Sullivan returns to the intimate surroundings of John Field Room to perform a programme of beloved English songs, including those of Roger Quilter, Ralph Vaughan-Williams, Benjamin Britten, Michael Head and many more.

Regarded as “undoubtedly the Irish superstar of her genatation” (Irish Times), Cara O’Sullivan performs a recital with pianist Niall Kinsella, showcasing the beautiful music and texts of 20th Century English Song.

Damsels Damned and Divas Delighted!

Join soprano Sandra Oman and pianist Niall Kinsella for a recital celebrating the infamous damsels and divas of Opera and Song, featuring the music of Handel, Puccini, Gounod, Schubert, Jonathan Dove and Gilbert & Sullivan.

Described as “outstanding” by Opera Now Magazine, Sandra Oman is a firm favourite with Irish audiences, and this concert celebrates the divas and damsels that have inhabited centuries of the best-loved music from the worlds of Opera and Art Song. In a programme spanning from Handel to Gilbert and Sullivan, and many others in between, Sandra touches on moments of passion, intense drama, amorous desire and hilarity, all of these combined with her inimitable charm and magnetic stage persona.

In commemoration of the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising, Irish Songmakers present a concert of Thomas Moore’s best-loved Irish Melodies in Dublin and in Louth at 7:30pm on March 12th and 13th respectively.​Thomas Moore’s beloved songs are the fusion of Irish folk melodies, collected by Edward Bunting at the 1792 Belfast Harp Festival, and original poetry by Moore, often with nationalistic and political themes of rebellion and patriotism. The songs frequently reference the Irish national emblem, the Harp, as a symbol of freedom and the country’s voice, and also ‘Erin’ the female personification of Ireland. Moore’s beautiful songs have given inspiration to early arrangements by John Stevenson, Henry Rowley Bishop, Michael William Balfe, Charles Villiers Stanford, Beethoven, and more modern arrangements by Herbert Hughes and Benjamin Britten. The ever-evocative texts have become the basis of original compositions by Henri Duparc, Hector Berlioz (translated into French), Frank Lambert, Charles Ives and William Bolcom. The songs in their original form still hold a special place in the hearts of Irish music lovers, and many of the national music competitions still dedicate categories to Moore’s Irish Melodies. The programme features many favourite songs, including ‘Tis the Last Rose of Summer’, ‘Silent, Oh Moyle!’, ‘The Minstrel Boy’, ‘The Meeting of the Waters’, and the beautiful ‘Coulin’.

The concerts will be performed by some of Ireland’s finest singers, soprano Sinéad Ní Mhurchú, mezzo-soprano Raphaela Mangan and tenor Owen Gilhooly, accompanied on piano by Niall Kinsella.

Kathleen Ferrier: A Life in Music

Described as ‘an evocative and genuine tribute’ by the Sunday Business Post, Irish contralto Raphaela Mangan and pianist Niall Kinsella reprise their concert in celebration of the life great English singer Kathleen Ferrier, whose meteoric rise to fame in the 1940s was cut short by her untimely death in 1953.

Join internationally award-winning contralto Raphaela Mangan and pianist Niall Kinsella for a lunchtime concert of music associated with Kathleen Ferrier – one of the greatest voices of the 20th-Century. Reprising their much- acclaimed concert by popular demand, the programme contains music by Handel, Schubert, Mahler, Elgar and favourites such as ‘Blow the Wind Southerly’, ‘What is Life to me Without Thee?’ and ‘The Salley Gardens’.

An Evening with Sandra Oman

Join one of Ireland's favourite sopranos, Sandra Oman, accompanist Niall Kinsella and special guestJohn Molloy (bass) for an evening of opera arias, duets, songs and more at Dublin's beautiful Freemasons' Hall.Sandra Oman has been described as "outstanding" by Opera Now Magazine and has enjoyed many performances as principal soprano with companies such as Opera Ireland, Lyric Opera, Opera Holland Park and Opera in the Open, to name a few.International bass John Molloy is no stranger to opera audiences in Ireland and abroad following recently acclaimed performances in The Elixir of Love (OTC), La Cenerentola (Scottish Opera), The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (OTC/Rough Magic) and Nixon in China (Wide Open Opera). This concert featuring the music of Handel, Mozart, Donizetti, Puccini and songs from popular musicals is one not to be missed!An Evening with Sandra Oman, sopranoNiall Kinsella, pianoSpecial Guest: John Molloy, bassSaturday 20th June 2015, 8pmFreemasons' HallMolesworth Street, Dublin 2Tickets €20 from www.eventbrite.ie

Recital with Cara O'Sullivan

Join one of Ireland’s leading sopranos Cara O’Sullivan accompanied on piano byNiall Kinsella in the intimacy of the John Field Room for a lunchtime concert of Baroque arias, celebrated Art Songs and beloved Irish melodies…along with some lighter favourites! A favourite performer with audiences in Ireland and on the international stage, Cara brings her inimitable charm and musicality to the National Concert Hall once again in a concert that is not to be missed!

Boyne Music Festival 2014

The Boyne Music Festival is delighted to present a concert featuring its 2014 Young Associated Artists. Chosen through a competitive application process, rising stars from the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin will perform a selection of vocal and chamber music works showcasing their talent.

A new BMF initiative, the Young Associated Artist scheme is designed to give young performers the opportunity to experience what it is like to be involved in an international chamber music festival. Over the course of the festival week, Young Associated Artists will attend rehearsals and performances and engage in coaching sessions with Festival Artists in preparation for their concert.

Maria McGrann (soprano), Seamus Wylie (clarinet) and Niall Kinsella (piano) as Irish Songmakers are delighted to have been accepted to the Boyne Music Festival's Young Associated Artists' Programme. More information here.

Kathleen Ferrier: A Life in Music

One of the greatest voices of the 20th-Century, legendary English contralto Kathleen Ferrierenjoyed a meteoric rise to fame in the 1940s, cut short by her untimely death to cancer in 1953. She worked with the world’s finest conductors and musicians and composers wrote music especially for her to sing. Despite this, she remained a humble person and never lost her widespread audience appeal.

Join Irish contralto Raphaela Mangan and pianist Niall Kinsella for an evening concert exploring the music of the much loved singer Kathleen Ferrier. Reprising a concert they performed on the centenary of Ferrier’s birth, the programme will include music by Handel, Glück, Schubert, Mahler, Quilter, Britten and many more.

Art Songs and Arias at Christ Church Cathedral

Raphaela Mangan, mezzo-sopranoNiall Kinsella, piano

Saturday 19 July 2014, 3pmChristchurch Cathedral DublinAdmission included in entry to Cathedral (€6/4.50/2)

Songs and arias by Purcell, Britten, Schubert, Mahler….

Lieder Masterclass with Alison Browner

Schumann, Brahms and Mahler: German Romantic Song

Thursday March 20th 2014, 10am-1pm; 2pm-5pmRoyal Irish Academy of Music

We are delighted to welcome back Alison Browner again to work with singers from RIAM and Irish Songmakers on the lieder of Schumann, Brahms and Mahler. Once again, we will be offering a scholarship to young singers to participate in this masterclass.

Lieder Masterclass with Alison Browner

Lieder Masterclass with Alison Browner, Mezzo-Soprano

Internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano Alison Browner will give vocal masterclasses on Franz Schubert and Hugo Wolf lieder to texts by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe on February 28 in the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin. There will also be a lecture on Goethean song settings by scholar Dr Lorraine Byrne-Bodley (NUIM). Accompanied by Niall Kinsella.